29 Pasta Shapes and How to Use Them
A glossary of pasta shapes and names — and delicious recipes to try them.
Pasta is one food we can't get enough of. It comes in so many shapes and types that it keeps things interesting. Some pasta shapes are long, and others are short; some are stuffed, and others are hollow. While almost all pasta shapes and types can be used in a pinch for an easy weeknight dinner, some are better suited to different types of recipes. Thinner pastas work great with lighter ingredients like fresh tomatoes, while wider, thicker pastas are great with heartier sauces like classic fettuccine alfredo.
In the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, our food editors have developed thousands of pasta recipes. They range from healthy pasta recipes to cozy lasagna. Here are the common pasta shapes and types you should know — most paired with a recipe that highlights the best way to use it. Plus, we sprinkled in some fun facts about how some pasta shapes were created and got their names, thanks to insight from pasta company Barilla.
Angel Hair
This long pasta shape is amongst the thinnest and works well when tossed in a thin sauce, oil or dressing. It also goes by capellini, which directly translates to "little hair," and in this case means thin hair.
Bucatini
This long pasta is best known for its signature hollow shape — aka its buco, which means hole in Italian — that you can slurp out of like a straw. It's good for recipes that require twirling and minimal poking with a fork, like hearty sauces with meatballs.
Campanelle
Named for its resemblance to handbells, this shape captures small ingredients, like corn and peas, in the best way so you can get a full bite of your favorite recipe in every forkful.
Cavatappi
Cavatappi are like longer, more spiraled elbows. They're relatively thick with ridges, which make them good for carrying sauces and toppings. They're great for pasta salad dishes that are served warm or cold.
Ditalini
These "little thimbles" are perfect for soup. They're small enough to spoon up and big enough to match the size of larger cuts of veggies and beans.
Elbows
This pasta shape tends to interlock when cooked, making it great for cheesy recipes peppered with small ingredients that you can fork up at the same time.
Farfalle
The name comes from the Italian word for butterflies. This shape is short and flat with little pockets that trap small amounts of sauce and bits of ingredients for added pops of flavor without being too overwhelming.
Fettuccine
Fettuccine is wider than linguine but less wide than tagliatelle. It's thin and flat but still provides a bite, so it's good for heartier recipes.
Fusilli
These spirals are thinner and a little more firm than rotini, which tends to be soft and bouncy. They're great for eating with fork-tender veggies and toppings.
Gemelli
Gemelli means twins in Italian, which is representative of the two intertwining strands that make up this fun shape. They're firmer than most other spiral shapes — good for piercing with a fork.
Get the recipe for Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken and Peas »
Gnocchi
Unlike pasta that's made mostly from wheat, gnocchi uses potatoes or ricotta to create a soft and fluffy dumpling. The best ones are airy and not dense. They'll fill you up quickly.
Get the recipe for Ricotta Gnocchi with Toasted Garlic and Walnuts »
Lasagna
These long, flat noodles are best layered in casserole dishes with sauce, cheese, ground meat or vegetables. Their ridges help hold different types of ingredients. No-boil varieties that are wide and flat are similar to the shape originally made by the Romans, according to Barilla; they make the lasagna-making process easier though the results don't come out as saucy as we like.
Linguine
These noodles are thin — but wider than spaghetti — and good for recipes that benefit from a little more substance. They take a little more effort to chew than thinner noodles, so they work well with bigger sauces.
Manicotti
These large tubes are traditionally stuffed with ricotta and baked with sauce and mozzarella for their namesake dish.
Orecchiette
We love these "little ears" with thicker sauces that allow them to nest together and deliver the most flavor. Use with sauces and ingredients you can't get enough of like cream and bacon bits.
Get the recipe for Creamy Corn Pasta with Bacon and Scallions »
Orzo
This small pasta is popular in Greek cuisine and is super versatile. It's bigger than rice but can be used similarly in pasta salads and soups.
Paccheri
When you want the pasta to be the star of the show, use these silky, larger-than-rigatoni shapes that pair nicely with light and fresh toppings.
Pappardelle
Pappardelle is a great choice for heartier pasta dishes. They're wide and carry toppings and sauce well. A little goes a long way.
Pastina
These tiny stars are best in broth. When served on their own, they hold onto liquid and have an almost creamy consistency, especially when combined with butter. They're typically a child's introduction to the world of pasta in Italy, according to Barilla.
Penne
Short and most often ridged, this pasta shape is great for thick sauces. It also has angled edges that slide onto the tines of your fork easily.
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